Steering device.



I n. ALLEN.

STEERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, I914.

Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Gummy IHE NORRIS PETERS co 0. ALLEN;

STEERING DEVICE. APPLICAHON FILED JULY 24, I914.

' Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- 0., F'HOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. 'C.

DAVID ALLEN, 0F TREN'ION, NEW JERSEY.

STEERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed July 24, 1914. Serial No. 852,966.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton; in the county of Mercer and State of New J ersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering devices for motor cars, the object in view being to greatly strengthen the connection between the axle and steering wheel spindles and thereby increasing the safety and reliability of this part of a motor car while also enabling eiiicient anti-friction hearings to be employed which greatly improve the easy turning quality of the machine as a whole.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the steering device as to practically exclude all foreign matter from the steering knuckle. incidentally increasing the life and durability of the device and insuring proper working conditions at all times.

With/the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of, parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of an automobile showing the improved steering device applied thereto. Fig. 2- is an' enlarged vertical diagrammatical section through one of the knuckle housings, showing one of theknuckles partly in section and partly in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofv the steering knuckle showing portions of the knuckle arm and spindle. Fig. 4 is a segregated perspective view of the housing for the steering knuckle. showing also a portion of the axle. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one ofthe tie-plates. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken in line with and diametrically of' the steering arm and spindle, showing the knuckle, housing and dirt guards in cross section. Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 77 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 88 of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section on the line 99 of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a view in elevation showing a modification in the connection between the steering knuckle and the axle whereby said parts are separately connected. Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line 1177 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings A generally designates the front axle of a motor car and B generally designates the steering knuckle housing of this invention.

The knuckle proper, indicated at 1 and best illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, comprises a substantially cylindrical body 1 provided with top and bottom journals 2 and 8, respectively, the body of the knuckle having extending laterally from one side thereof the wheel spindle 4 and having extended from the opposite side thereof the knuckle arm 5 by means of which the knuckle is turned to correspondingly turn the steering wheel journaled on the spindle 4.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be noted that the housing B comprises the two main sections 6 and 7 each of which is substantially semi-cylindrical in cross section but provided at opposite sides with fiat faces 8 the purpose of which will appear. The section 6 of the housing is provided on its inner face with dowel'pins 9 while the opposite section 7 is provided with holes or sockets to receive said dowel pins enabling the two main sections 6 and 7 to be quickly brought into proper relation to each other. Each of the housing sections 6 and7 is also provided exterior-1y with a projecting and semi-cylindrical bearing face 10 against which one of the dirt guards hereinafter referred to bears and each of the bearing faces 10 is intersected by a horizontally extending slot 11. The slot 11 in one section has the spindle 4: passed therethrough while the slot 11 of the other housing section receives the knuckle arm 5 of the spindle. The construction re ferred to is clearly shown in the assembled view, Fig. 6. wherein it will be seen that the slots 11 will permit the horizontal swinging movement of the spindle 4: and steering arm 5.

Secured by cap screws 12 or their equivalent to oppositesides of the main housing sections 6 and 7 are tie-plates 13 one of which is illustrated in detail perspective in Fig. 5. Each of these housing plates 13 is provided with a curved bearing face 14 struck on the same radius as the bearing faces 10 above referred to and forming complemental portions or continuations of saidbearing faces 10. The bearing faces 10 and 14, taken collectively, form a complete cylindrical bearing surface against which operate two dirt guards 15 and 16 as shown, for example, in Fig. 6. Each of the dirt guards 15 and 16 is preferably made in two sections as shown in Fig. 9, said sections meeting on a line 17 diametrical to the spindle 4 or arm 5 as the case may be, the said sections being fastened together and clamped upon therespective member 4 or 5 by means of bolts 18 or the equivalent thereof. This enables the dirt guards to be applied to and removed from the members 4 and 5 and also adjusted into the proper working relation to or contact with the cylindrical bearing faces and 14 above referred to.

19 designates a wheel hub abutment collar which is screwed on a threaded portion20 of @the spindle 4-, against the adjacent dirt guard 15 to which it may be fixedly connected by means of cap screws .21 or the equivalent thereof.

In addition .to the itiepla-tes 13, top and bottom flanged caps 22 and 23 are screwed upon the threaded and reduced top and :bottom ends 24 and 25 of the main housing sections 6 and 7 as shown "in the assembled sectional view, Fig.2. These capsserveto lock the housing sections together and the top cap 22 is preferably equipped with a grease 011 3326 the grease from which is forced downwardly through a ,passage 27 formed in the meeting faces of the housing sections 6 and 7 and through a registering passage 28 of angular shape, formed in the upper journal 2 of the knuckle and leading on to one side of said journal within the knuckle housing. Encirclzing the lower journal 3 of the knuckle is a side thrust ball bearing 29 while a similar side thrust bearing 30 ex tends around the upper journal 2. Above the last named side thrust bearing '30 is arranged an end thrust ball bearing31 which forms the main support for the load, the two side thrust and one end thrust bearings providing for an easy turning movement of the steering ,device without in any way impairing the strength of the construction described. Referring to Fig. 8 it will he noted that the upper side thrust bearing 30 is provided in the outer side of the outer ball race thereof with vertically extending notches or gro oyes 32 .to provide for ,the grease or other lubricant passing downwardly around the steering knuckle and reaching the lower side thrust bearing 29.

In some cases it may be desirable to form the knuckle housing B separate from the axle A. This may be accomplished as illustrated in Figs. L0 and 11, one ,of the main sections .6 of the knuckle housing being provided with a tenon 33 while the extremity of the axle is provided with a mortise 3.4 to receive said tenon, the mortise 34 e2;- tending from top to bottom of the extremity of the axle so as to enable the t enon 3 3 to be slid vertically therein. When the tenon is in place in the mortise, one or more bolts 35 are inserted throngh the parts to hold them in a fixed relative position as clearly ter braced connection between the axle and knu kl la -us From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that an unusually strong, safe and reliable connection is provided between each ,of the steering knuckles and the axle. Under the construction universally employed in automobiles of the present day, thesteering connection at the-point referred to depends on a pin or :bolt which usually does not exceed one-halfogf an inch diameter. )SllOU'lQlllhlS bolt brake, asit frequently does, serious accidents are liable to happen. The construction contemplated in this invention does away with this insecure and unreliable pin or bolt and in lieu thereof provides a stout, heavy and strong steering knuckle connection, the sections ef the ,ln nckle housing being firmly secured in fined relation to each other by means ,of the tieplates and end caps hereinabove particularly described. The construction also provides for .the eflicient exclusion of all foreign ptnatter from the knucklebeaning;

What I claim iszse 1. The combination with the vagile of ,a motor .car, of a steering knuckle housing on the end thereoisaid housing .ernbodyingtwo m n s tien s p mbl elone a vertic me li d ea p ovided with a substantially semi-cylindrical external bears fac intersected y a or zeatel sl t t n ates fa t n app si ides said hou g an ext ing across t me tin ed s sa d h u i and each pr vided wi a c r ed beefin fa e whi h f rm a o pl m l p tion f sa d s m -,cylin: i l ac s, a steer ngk uekl io rne d i s h usin d pr i ed it a Wheel sp d pas ng through 9 .0 ai l ts a nuckl a m Pa ses h ush theethe sl t an d rt si a s's' uned a sa d erindl and knu k a m and embody ng c nce ted bea n fac which wo k in o ta t wi h th exte al h arin faces on the housing see:

time t p a es- 2, The qombi tio with he xle a a mote ca {of a s ing knu kl h u in 9. the .end thereof, said housing embodying We min s ti ns eparab e alea ver l ia uetri a line and ea h pro ided Wit e substant ally s mi-cy i l e terna be s fa e in s te 'b a herizont s b t ep at s faste d to opp s t S des d h u ing and extend ng ac s t m ng ,edges of said housing and each provided with a curved bearing face which forms a complemental portion of said semi-cylindrim a e flan d ps t r ad d e 'th' ppe and lower ends of said housing and serving bearing faces 011 the housing sections and 10 to lock the housing sections together, a steert1e-plates.

' ing knuckle journaled in said housing and In testimony whereof I affix my signature through one of said slots and a knuckle arm provided with a wheel spindle passing in presence of two witnesses.

passing through the other slot, and dirt DAVID ALLEN guards secured to said spindle and knuckle Witnesses: arm and embodying concaved bearing faces HENRY R. J. CEASER, which work in contact with the external F. VAN DOREN.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

